food relief

The Emergency Food Relief Program (EFRP) is a grant-funded opportunity that creates a cost-free way for organizations and agencies to feed the communities they serve. Organizations place weekly orders for wholesale items from the Feast Down East Food Hub to support their feeding efforts. Agencies may also request vouchers that can be used at the Local Motive Mobile Farmers' Market.

For more information, or to become involved, email Kaiyon at kaiyon@feastdowneast.org.  

organizations we've worked with:

Pender County Christian Services
YWCA - Grandparent Support Network
Communities in Schools Cape Fear
Harrells Community Center

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testimonials:

“Pender County Christian Services has had great success with the Emergency Relief Program due to Covid 19. Our regular clients have really enjoyed these fresh foods and we have been able to see new families come and take advantage of this opportunity as well. Many have told us how much they appreciate those fresh vegetables every week and it has been very nutritional for them. Some have stated that they appreciated it because they could not afford to buy fresh food every week due to budget issues. This grant funding has made a difference in the lives of these clients.” 
-Sandy Harris
Director, Pender County Christian Services

“This program has been absolutely amazing. The Grandparent Support Network and the YWCA Lower Cape Fear are extremely grateful for this partnership and opportunity. Additional grandparents have even been recruited through this effort. As we created our pickup zone for grandparents, others have walked up to us inquiring about our programs and services and have joined our program.

Many grandparents raising grandchildren fall in the gaps of social services. Due to custodial arrangements and intersectional conflicts, grandparents often do not have access to financial supplementals, child care, and food stamps. Recently, we conducted a survey with the grandparents asking how we could serve them better, and their number one request was helping them have access and cook healthy and nutritious dishes. This program has not only eliminated a barrier but Feast Down East has assisted GSN in meeting a need, provided healthy nutritious foods, and allowed grandparents to relive some childhood dishes. The best experience has been the ability to expose new foods such as purple potatoes, rutabagas, beets, and Murasaki sweet potatoes. 

Seeing the grandparents smile, hearing their thank you, has been very rewarding.”  
-Jhaniqua Palmer
Outreach Programs Director, YWCA - Grandparents Support Network

"My name is Or Caduri, and I am a Student Support Specialist at Heide Trask High School. I have been fortunate to be able to provide produce and fresh items weekly for over 20 families in need through the Emergency Food Relief program this year. The items are top quality and the ordering process allows me to choose the items that would be most useful and easiest for the school to distribute to the families. The families are grateful and are happy with what they recieve. One family mentioned that they are so lucky to be receiving these items that families on most school sites do not receive. Without these items, those families might only be getting processed food items given to them each week. Eating high quantities of processed food is unhealthy for the students and has caused several of them to report that they are suffering from reflux earlier this year. Receiving fresh produce is detrimental for their health. I hope many more families will have a chance to enjoy this great resource."
-Or Caudri
Student Support Specialist, Communities in Schools Cape Fear

“I know that these vegetables will help a lot of low income and elderly people in this community. I appreciate all the help we can get from a program of this nature to help the most vulnerable citizens is certainly welcome in this District of Sampson County and I know others would appreciate it also. Please accept our gratitude for all you do.”

-Commissioner Lethia Lee
4th District Sampson County Commissioner, Harrells Community Center

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Funders: